Visual Friend Friday: all in the details

Source: weheartit

This week's Visual Friend Friday is sponsored by Ashley Getting Dressed and we're doing an upclose and personal look at a favourite clothing item.

Jump around: dinner date

Last month I blogged about this 18 AND EAST Rose Print Jumpsuit which was on sale at Clothing at Tesco and I couldn't help but snap one up for myself. The print is so pretty and the jumpsuit shape is so easy to wear! It can work as a day look but also be dressed up for a relaxed evening look with a simple pair of heels, which is what I wore for a dinner date with the boyfriend:

I'm wearing: 18 AND EAST jumpsuit, Blink heels (via Spartoo) and a lot of accessories:

I am wearing: Urban Outfitters watch; bangles from Next and various market stalls; "Love" bracelet from Accessorize; and hooped bracelet by TIA by Made.

What do you think? Have you rocked the playsuit yet? Or is it a bit too like a romper suit to work for a grown adult?

Please nominate me in the "Established Fashion Blog" category

#BloggersDoItBetter: Arm Party

I haven't participated in one Pretty Shiny Sparkly's #BloggersDoItBetter challenges yet but this week's played into something I've been toying with for so long that I couldn't pass up the opportunity. That, and I actually saw the challenge on time this time too!

So? The challenge?

"Ahhh…the arm party. Coined by one lovely Man Repeller, the trend has been around for longer than its name. Editrixes, models and fashion bloggers alike all sport a plethora of friendship bracelets, bangles, chains, watches, and more."

I've been collecting wrist-wear inspiration over on my Pinterest Style Pinboard for a while now:


Sources, clockwise from top left: eatsleepwear; eatsleepwear; My Style Pill; and Stockholm Street Style.


Here is my interpretation of an Arm Party, I like to think of it as a full-on rave!!

Bangles from various market stalls and Next; watch from Urban Outfitters; "Love" bracelet from Accessorize; and hoop bracelet from TIA by Made from Clothing at Tesco.

Do you like to stack your bracelets high or wear them a little more daintily?


Even this week's copy of Grazia has joined on the Arm Party:

If you fancy throwing your own Arm Party, here are some fabulous options to choose from:

BUY NOW: #1; #2; #3; #4; #5; and #6.

Please nominate me in the "Established Fashion Blog" category

Shirt? Check!

This is my preppy look. No doubt about it, when I wore this outfit I felt a little I should have traded my heels for wellington boots and added a Barbour and been out in the countryside. Or alternatively, running in and out of shops on the Kings Road!!*

Super Stylish Sis works for Charles Tyrwhitt and recently went to one of their sample sales and managed to snag this shirt for me - no idea how much it was (it seemed rude to ask unless I was going to offer to pay for it!!!) but the website has some really bargainous offers in the sale.

Do you like the clutch? Do you?!! I am in love *swoon* I have been looking for a leather day-clutch for a while now and when I saw this in the Asos sale I know I just had to have it. Not only that but it's great for this summer's colour block trend too.

I am wearing: Charles Tyrwhitt shirt, H&M jeans, Blink heels (via Spartoo) and Asos clutch.


*Please note - this is not negative but just not my normal style!!

This shirt has been sitting in a bag in the bottom of my wardrobe for a few weeks now and today I decided it was definitely time to get it out.

What Was I Wearing: lazy weekend outfit made good

I don't know about you but when my weekend activities consist of a quick dash to the supermarket and petrol station and changing beds and hoovering and cleaning and many many more boring things like that besides, I don't really feel like making too much of an effort with my outfit. Or my make-up. Or my hair. But even a pair of jeans and a plain tee don't have to be plain and boring, just add a little bling in the form of a statement necklace, like this one from Marks and Spencer:

And a pair of patent pumps, like these from Bloch (via Spartoo):

How do you dress at the weekend?

Mirror Image: Coco has a twin!

Last week, I wore my new striped Mango dress, this week I wear its twin sister (the colours are simply reversed). Yes, that's right, I loved it so much that I bought it again*:

My new denim jacket (c/o Joe Browns) has been just the perfect thing to throw on over summer dresses in what passes for summer here in the UK!!

I am wearing: Joe Browns denim jacket; Mango dress; and Blink heels (via Spartoo).

Do you have a favourite piece that you wear so much that you bought two of?

*Would totally recommend buying more than one of a piece if you like it and know you'll get a lot of wear out of it - more particularly when it is in more than one colour/colour-way.

What Was I Wearing: Saturday Shopping

A couple of week's ago the lovely Hazel of Hazel's World of Joy blogged that she'd ordered a dress from H&M but it didn't suit and so she would give it to the first person to leave a comment on the post. So I left a comment. And a few hours later received an email from Hazel asking for my address. The dress subsequently arrived and yesterday seemed to be the perfect day for its first outing, so I took it shopping:

I think it enjoyed shopping with me!!

I love the strap detail with the three spaghetti straps that tie at the neck to create a halter.

What have you been up to this weekend? After shopping yesterday, I soaked up some sun in a beer garden with the boyfriend. Today has been more sedate, with a quick trip out for a Sunday Roast.

What do you think?

What Was I Wearing: rainy days

Today I've gone for the androgynous look. You know those mornings when you know what you want to wear but the weather just isn't playing along? Well, today was one of those!! I had planned a cute dress with the brogues but then I looked out of the window... and it was raining! So jeans it was for me:

The t-shirt really didn't look right hanging out (like the slob that I am!!) so I tucked it in and was good to go!

I haven't worn a watch in years but when I saw this one for a fiver in Urban Outfitters I grabbed it. It's more like an extra bracelet to add to all of those that I was wearing at the time of purchase but I'm actually enjoying not having to get my phone out everytime I want to know the time - how old-fashioned?!

These are, of course, my bargainous Marks and Spencer brogues that I got last month. I think they work well with trousers that are rolled up and allow them to be seen in all of their glory, don't you? (The boyf calls them my "boy shoes"!)

What do you wear on rainy days in summer?

I am wearing: Gap tee and jeans, Pearl Lowe for Peacocks cardigan, Marks and Spencer brogues, Urban Outfitters watch, Tiffany neckace and Pieces bracelet.

I have added a little poll in the top of the right hand column, if you have a spare second - please choose your response. Thank you.

What Was I Wearing: Royal Garden Party

You might remember that I mentioned recently that I had been invited to one of the summer Garden Parties at Buckingham Palace that HM The Queen hosts every year. (No? Check out the posts here and here and here.) Well, the party took place a week ago and I just had to show you what I wore for my date at the Palace:

I chose a tunic from Marks and Spencer that I got on sale (down from £35 to £12), pulling it in at the waist with a cream belt (£5, also from Marks and Spencer) and teamed with my nude/cream-coloured heels from Next:

The food was particularly scrummy. I only got one photo because it didn't last long enough for anymore!! (Includes victoria sponge; coffee-flavoured eclair; chocolate ganache torte; fresh raspberry tart; and iced coffee.)

And a couple of photos of the superb setting for the party:

What would you wear from an appointment with HM The Queen?

What I Wore: Thanks to Coco

Whenever I want an easy and relaxed look, yet with added "chic factor", this image of Coco Chanel always comes to mind. Stripes, for me, epitomise the relaxed French style that I aspire to so much. So with this image in mind, I couldn't resist this Mango dress when I saw it on sale for £8.97 from £29.99!!

I am wearing: Mango dress and Topshop pumps.

What do you wear when you want to dress down and yet retain some element of chic too?

What Was I Wearing: Joe Browns' denim jacket

When I was contacted recently and asked if I would like to choose something from the Joe Browns' website to review, I jumped at the chance. Joe Brown is a specialist in the sort of boho chic fashion that has been popularised in recent years by the likes of Sienna Miller. From women's dresses to knitwear and jeans - Joe Browns caters for all tastes.

I knew exacly what I wanted the minute I checked out the site: a denim jacket. I had one as a teenager but for some reason it was a massive size and therefore completely swamped me, so for a while now I have been trying to hunt down a cropped fitted jacket in a faded denim and I hit jackpot!

I'm not sure I'm brave enough just yet to pull off the double denim look but think that over a summer dress, like this maxi from Very, it is a great cover-up for a chilly evening, such as this evening, when these were taken, just before I went out to the theatre!

Many of the pieces on Joe Browns are currently on offer - so if you're quick, you'll grab yourself a bargain!

Alright shortie!

Until a couple of years ago I resolutely refused to wear shorts. I think it had something to do with having always had to wear them on summer holidays as a child and feeling the need, as an adult, to rebel against that. Now, though, it is all I want to wear on my holidays. (Mothers really do know best, it would seem!)


This was basically what I lived in for three days in Valenica:

I am wearing: denim cut-offs by H&M, Gap vest (currently on sale), Havaianas and H&M bag.

*These photos were taken at the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències in Valencia.

Is there any item of clothing that you refuse to wear as an adult that you were made to wear when younger?

PS:

Have you entered my giveaway to win a fabulous pair of Oasis New Vintage earrings? If not, make sure you do so right away!! You can’t win, if you don’t enter!

AND, if you have already voted for me in the Filofax Facebook Blogger Style Off, thank you. If you haven’t voted for me yet, please do go and vote for me and will be forever grateful.

Filofax Blogger Style Off: THE OUTFIT

When I started to create the outfit for the Filofax Blogger Style Off, I admit, I was a little late in doing so and I was suddenly overcome with a horrible bout of indecision!! Gah! And then I decided to do a little search and see what other bloggers who were participating in the challenge had been posting – and I suddenly got very nervous!! Obviously blue and pink were to make up the biggest part of my outfit… However, I seem to have a dearth of pink in my wardrobe!! Who’d have thought?! My first outfit took inspiration from Jil Sander’s catwalk collection which teamed a block-coloured maxi skirt with a crisp white tee. Raiding my wardrobe I pulled out a black maxi skirt and a blue tee – adding a pink skinny belt to finish off the look. It did the job, but – yawn! So I went back to the wardrobe. In there I discovered: a bright blue dress, a bright and summery coral pink dress, two pairs of bright blue court shoes and two bright pink cardigans (why two?!!). My accessories in these two colours are a little less – a big pink flower for my hair but that's about it… So then came the challenge of putting this all together to create a winning outfit:

I hope you think it is a winning outfit too and will answer my pleas to head over to the Filofax Facebook page and vote for my look. Thank you thank you thank you, in advance!!!

I am wearing: Mango dress, Topshop t-shirt (as belt), TU by Sainsburys flower and Spartoo heels.

What I Wore: 18 AND EAST dress

When I saw this dress in this post over on The Online Stylist a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't resist snapping it up immediately and sharing it with you - complete Bargain of the Day. The 18 And East website describes the brand: Inspired by the vibrant music, fashion, blog and film scenes in and around East London; 18 AND EAST is for the girl who has a strong sense of individual style and a voracious lust for life. Which meant that the only place I could possibly take the dress for its inaugural trip out, the east end of London, Columbia Road Flower market, to be precise:

I also tried out a socks and brogues combination for the first time too. It felt a little like I was back to being dressed by my mum for school but I think I liked it. What do you think? Does it work?


Once I'd worn the dress, I couldn't help but wear it again, almost immediately! Here is my work-wear look:

I love the shape of the dress and the way that the belt pulls it all together. There is nothing better than a jersey t-shirt dress for casual and dressing up. Don't you think?

To see how the Push PR girls styled up the dress, be sure to check out their blog too, for Hannah's look, Kat's look and Tanya's look.